http://octavesolutions.com/ Provides PrognoCIS EMR software, CCHIT certified software, low cost Electronic Medical Record software for general practice, specialty practice, small and midsize medical offices. PrognoCIS EMR software is your low cost EMR software leader. Free EMR demo. Free EMR recorded demonstrations. EMR News and EMR Articles. en-gb Copyright 2009 Octave Solutions. All Rights Reserved. EMR Software, EMR Software Sales, EMR Software Support, EMR Software Implementation, EMR Software Service Administrator - admin@octavesolutions.com admin@octavesolutions.com Tue, 07 Sep 2010 11:41:34 -0400 Tue, 07 Sep 2010 11:41:34 -0400 http://backend.userland.com/rss e107 (http://e107.org) 60 http://www.level8systems.com/e107_images/ http://octavesolutions.com/ 88 31 Provides PrognoCIS EMR software, CCHIT certified software, low cost Electronic Medical Record software for general practice, specialty practice, small and midsize medical offices. PrognoCIS EMR software is your low cost EMR software leader. Free EMR demo. Free EMR recorded demonstrations. EMR News and EMR Articles. Search PrognoCIS EMR - EHR - PM Software query http://www.level8systems.com/search.php http://www.level8systems.com/news.php?item.22.1 Successful businesses today are the ones that adapt to change faster while providing more customer centric services. In a nutshell, provide viable value with better customer support then the competition. Businesses that put all their eggs in one basket are at a higher risk for failure than businesses which have the capability and foresight to expand both horizontally and vertically.    These same principals carry forward into the medical industry and can actually be the difference between a mediocre medical practice and a thriving medical practice.    Case in point: I did an EMR demonstration today for a medical practice with 6 physicians. Two were General Practice, two were Psychologist, one was Pain Management and the sixth was Dermatology. They are a thriving medical practice, growing and continuing to expand their service offerings.    This medical practice offers in-house consults and covers a variety of medical conditions. Horizontally, this medical practice offers more. Vertically, this medical practice offers just as much as the other medical practices, specializing in any one of the 4 specialties.   Most common consults are kept in-house, and with the added benefit of having all physicians sharing one EMR solution, the benefits continue to grow.    While there are many specialty specific EMR solutions on the market today, purchasing a specialty EMR solution puts your medical practice in a box. Expanding to additional medical specialties means buying more software. Owning two solutions, specialty specific, increases a medical practices costs, while reducing profits and increasing the complexity of IT.   Before considering a specialty EMR solution, consider your five year growth plan. Do you plan to grow? Will your growth be in other specialties? Would you like the ability to grow in other specialties? If you answered yes to any of these questions, selecting a multi-specialty EMR solution might be the best business decision you could make. Read the entire article... Mike<mwhite@nospam.com> Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:39:20 -0400 http://www.level8systems.com/news.php?item.22.1 http://www.level8systems.com/news.php?item.20.1 While new incentives are being created, those who act now have the best opportunity for funding. Alabama State EMR - EHR IntentivesMedical Protective will award a 2.5% discount for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR. Alaska State EMR - EHR IntentivesAmerican College of Physicians (ACP), EHR Partners Program Launched in June 2008, is designed to help physicians purchase and install EHR systems. Arizona State EMR - EHR IntentivesAppropriations action in 2008 for state spending includes $300,000 for the Arizona state hospital for an electronic health record. Arkansas State EMR - EHR IntentivesAmerican College of Physicians (ACP), EHR Partners Program Launched in June 2008, is designed to help physicians purchase and install EHR systems. California State EMR - EHR IntentivesThe Mental Health Services Act provides $400 million in annual new revenues for the state’s public mental health system, with a significant percentage going to EHRs. Colorado State EMR - EHR IntentivesColorado Health Foundation supports organizational costs related to health IT planning, training, workflow redesign, and direct costs related to personnel, hardware and software. Connecticut State EMR - EHR IntentivesHealth Net of Connecticut and Connecticut State Medial Society-IPA have a voluntary performance incentive program that provides financial recognition to eligible physicians for performance compared with their peers. Delaware State EMR - EHR IntentivesCareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (covering Maryland, District of Columbia, Northern Virginia, Delaware) Initiated a reward system for effectiveness in care practices that awards points to physician groups for achieving measures of quality. Medical Protective will award a 2.5% discount for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR. District of Columbia – Washington DC State EMR - EHR IntentivesCareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Initiated a reward system for effectiveness in care practices that awards points to physician groups for achieving measures of quality. Florida State EMR - EHR IntentivesFlorida Agency for Health Care Administration launched in July 2008 a Point of Care Model Electronic Health Record Grants Program, with $100,000 available the first year. Sevocity offered up to $150,000 in grants in July 2008 to small and medium-sized physician practices to adopt EHRs. Medical Protective will award a 2.5% discount for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR. Georgia State EMR - EHR IntentivesGeorgia Board of Community Health—Appropriations action for fiscal 2007 includes $750,000 to the Georgia Association for Primary Health Care to establish a statewide EHR system to link federally qualified community health centers. Hawaii State EMR - EHR IntentivesHawaii Medical Service Association (HMSA)The BlueCross BlueShield plan for Hawaii, established the Initiative for Innovation and Quality. Provides $20 million for purchases of EHRs for physician practices. Idaho State EMR - EHR IntentivesAppropriations action in 2008 for the Department of Health and Welfare, Psychiatric Hospitalization, includes $445,000 for an electronic health record. Illinois State EMR - EHR Intentives Medical Protective will award a 2.5% discount for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR. Indiana State EMR - EHR Intentives Medical Protective will award a 2.5% discount for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR. Iowa State EMR - EHR IntentivesMidwest Medical Insurance Company, will award discounts of 2% to 5% for CCHIT Certified EHR.  Medical Protective will award a 2.5% discount for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR. Kansas State EMR - EHR Intentives Medical Protective will award a 2.5% discount for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR. Kentucky State EMR - EHR Intentives Medical Protective will award a 2.5% discount for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR. Louisiana State EMR - EHR Intentives Medical Protective will award a 2.5% discount for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR. Maine State EMR - EHR IntentivesMaine Health Access Foundation has established for 2009 a low-interest loan fund to be used to help Maine’s primary-care practices adopt electronic health records. Maryland State EMR - EHR IntentivesCareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Initiated a reward system for effectiveness in care practices that awards points. Use of a CCHIT Certified EHR is required. Massachusetts State EMR - EHR IntentivesPhysicians Insurance Agency of Massachusetts, will award a 5% credit for using EHR. Medical Protective will award a 2.5% discount for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR. Michigan State EMR - EHR IntentivesMHA Insurance, Lansing, MI Will award a 5% discount the first year, 2.5% afterwards for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR. Medical Protective will award a 2.5% discount for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR. Minnesota State EMR - EHR IntentivesElectronic Health Record Revolving Account and Loan Program. Includes $6.3 million in no-interest loans to hospitals, nursing homes, clinics and other healthcare providers. Mississippi State EMR - EHR IntentivesMedical Protective will award a 2.5% discount for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR. Missouri State EMR - EHR IntentivesAppropriations for the Department of Social Services: includes a total of $1.4 million to fund a regionally integrated EHR system linking rural physicians and hospitals. Medical Protective will award a 2.5% discount for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR. Montana State EMR - EHR Intentives Medical Protective will award a 2.5% discount for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR. Nebraska State EMR - EHR IntentivesMedical Protective will award a 2.5% discount for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR. Midwest Medical Insurance Company, Minneapolis, MN Will award discounts of 2% to 5% for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR Nevada State EMR - EHR IntentivesMedical Protective will award a 2.5% discount for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR. New Hampshire State EMR - EHR Intentives Medical Protective will award a 2.5% discount for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR. New Jersey State EMR - EHR IntentivesMedical Protective will award a 2.5% discount for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR. New Mexico State EMR - EHR Intentives Medical Protective will award a 2.5% discount for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR. New York State EMR - EHR IntentivesHealth Care Efficiency and Affordability Law for New Yorkers (HEAL NY) issued grants totaling $105.7 million. Grants range from $1 million to $10 million each. Primary Care Information Project (PCIP), is a $60 million initiative to provide EHR implementation, support and quality-improvement. North Carolina State EMR - EHR Intentives Medical Protective will award a 2.5% discount for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR. North Dakota State EMR - EHR IntentivesMidwest Medical Insurance Company, will award discounts of 2% to 5% for CCHIT Certified EHR.  Medical Protective will award a 2.5% discount for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR. Ohio State EMR - EHR Intentives Medical Protective will award a 2.5% discount for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR. Oklahoma State EMR - EHR Intentives Medical Protective will award a 2.5% discount for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR. Oregon State EMR - EHR IntentivesRegence Foundation of Regence Group (Blue Cross Blue Shield), Portland, Ore., announced three grants totaling $195,000 for organizations working to improve health quality. Providence Health Plans has a merit pay system for providers having a functional CCHIT Certified EHR in their office or being in the process of implementing one. Pennsylvania State EMR - EHR Intentives Medical Protective will award a 2.5% discount for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR. Rhode Island State EMR - EHR IntentivesBlue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island offers Quality Counts. The program has enrolled 80 primary-care physicians, who receive $5,000 toward EHR. Medical Protective will award a 2.5% discount for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR. South Carolina State EMR - EHR IntentivesSevocity offered up to $150,000 in grants in July 2008 to small and medium-sized physician practices and community health centers in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina to adopt EHRs.  Medical Protective will award a 2.5% discount for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR. South Dakota State EMR - EHR Intentives Medical Protective will award a 2.5% discount for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR. Midwest Medical Insurance Company, Minneapolis, MN Will award discounts of 2% to 5% for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR Tennessee State EMR - EHR Intentives Medical Protective will award a 2.5% discount for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR. Texas State EMR - EHR Intentives Medical Protective will award a 2.5% discount for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR. Utah State EMR - EHR Intentives Medical Protective will award a 2.5% discount for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR. Vermont State EMR - EHR IntentivesVermont Health IT enacted in 2008 for fiscal 2009. It is expected to raise approximately $32 million over 7 years as a stable source of public funding for EHR. Medical Protective, professional liability insurer, Fort Wayne, IN Will award a 2.5% discount for practices with a CCHIT Certification. Virginia State EMR - EHR IntentivesCareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Initiated a reward system for effectiveness. Use of a CCHIT Certified EHR is one of 11 quality measures and is worth 20 points. Virginia Legislature appropriations include $750,000 in 2007 and $800,000 in 2008 for grants to providers to acquire EHRs. Medical Protective will award a 2.5% discount for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR. Washington State EMR - EHR IntentivesProvidence Health Plans has a merit pay system for providers having a functional CCHIT Certified EHR in their office or being in the process of implementing one. West Virginia State EMR - EHR IntentivesHighmark, a health insurer serving western Pennsylvania as well as West Virginia, is offering grants per physician of up to $7,000 or 75% of the cost of EMR. Medical Protective will award a 2.5% discount for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR. Wisconsin State EMR - EHR IntentivesHealthcare providers who purchase IT software or hardware used to create and maintain EHRs can claim up to 50% of the cost of the system. Medical Protective will award a 2.5% discount for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR. Midwest Medical Insurance Company, will award discounts of 2% to 5% for CCHIT Certified EHR. Wyoming State EMR - EHR Intentives Medical Protective will award a 2.5% discount for practices with a CCHIT Certified EHR. Every state offers grants and special programs available to solo practitioners and medical clinics. How does your state stack up? Mike<mwhite@nospam.com> Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:39:01 -0400 http://www.level8systems.com/news.php?item.20.1 http://www.level8systems.com/news.php?item.17.1 Would EMR of saved Elvis Presley? Technically speaking, yes. Of course the United States EMR initiative isn’t there yet, but that is the plan. By 2015, the goal is to have every medical clinic, medical office, hospital all securely sharing patient information. Most likely through the HL7 (Health Level 7) Exchange. So what killed Elvis? The official cause of Elvis's death is listed as heart arrhythmia -- a heart attack. Michael M. Baden and Judith Adler Hennessee wrote in Unnatural Death: Confessions of a Medical Examiner: "Elvis had had an enlarged heart for a long time. That, together with his drug habit, caused his death.” As far as Elvis dyeing on the toilet, well that’s just too much information. Additionally, with a significant amount of coronary atherosclerosis, there was extensive liver damage, and the large intestine was clogged with fecal matter, indicating a chronic and painful bowel condition. An enlarged heart may be accompanied by symptoms such as shortness of breath (dyspnea), dizziness, swelling (edema) or irregular heart beat (arrhythmia). Had this information been present in Elvis EMR record, would he of received the appropriate tests, i.e. Echocardiogram, Chest X-ray or Stress Test? Probably so. Would the volume of Demerol and morphine shots been continually prescribed? Probably not. One can only speculate that Elvis course of treatment would have been different if every treating physician had his historical health record access. If the EMR technology today had existed 50 years ago, we would probably be watching episodes of Elvis on Celeb Rehab, with hundreds of more Elvis songs in his repitwa. Sometimes it takes looking back at history, to see what could have been. Moving forward, we all stem to gain something from EMR. Patientsshould receive a more concise diagnosis, with a reduction in prescription errors. Physicianscan see more patients in less amount of time. Bill at higher E&M coding levels, while lowering their malpractice insurance. Medical staffprofessionals never have to pull a paper chart again. On September 30, 2004, Merck & Co. announced the Vioxx withdrawal after clinical studies linked the drug with increased risk of heart attacks and other cardiovascular problems. Hundreds upon thousands of paper charts were pulled, searching for patients to be contacted. With an EMR solution, this would have been as easy as running a report. With that being said, Octave Solutions is leading the way with PrognoCIS EMR. PrognoCIS EMR is the fastest growing EMR solution in the market today. Used by thousands of physicians, PrognoCIS is the low cost, CCHIT certified, EMR software leader. See an online EMR demonstration at www.octavesolutions.com. Contact us to schedule a personalized demonstration for your specialty. For more information:Octave Solutionsmwhite@octavesolutions.comwww.octavesolutions.com714-478-2175 Mike<mwhite@nospam.com> Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:23:51 -0400 http://www.level8systems.com/news.php?item.17.1 http://www.level8systems.com/news.php?item.16.1 If you have the ability to go online, and complete your medical forms online in the privacy of your home, without having to sit the medical lobby next to the guy with a contagious cough and oozing boils, your Doctor probably has EMR.  Upon arrival, if you don’t have to wait for your paper chart to be pulled, reviewed, and insurance verified in addition to other pieces of information, you get seated in a room quickly, your Doctor probably has EMR.      If the doctor comes in during, or quickly after your vitals have been taken, and doesn’t have to stand outside the door reading your paper chart, you Doctor probably has EMR.    If your Doctor seems happy and not irritated, this means his malpractice insurance was just lowered because he probably has EMR.    If your Doctor is carrying around a really cool tablet PC with a stylus, and not a bulky colored file, this means your Doctor probably has EMR.    If the prescriptions your doctor recommends you take are actually covered by your insurance and you don’t have to go online to a Canadian or Indian pharmacy to get the cheapest price, your Doctor probably has an EMR system.   If your prescription is automatically transmitted to your pharmacy without having to carry around a piece of paper no-one can ready anyways, your Doctor probably has EMR.    If the medical clinic looks nicer, maybe a fish tank, some new pictures or even a designer coffee maker in the corner, this means your doctor has increased his or her revenue, most likely the result of using an EMR solution.   If you have to see a referring doctor, or go in for some lab work, radiology or other place of practice, and YOU don’t have to make the appointment, YOU don’t have to re-explain your symptoms, and YOU don’t have to re-fill out all the other practices insurance forms, yep, you guessed it, both doctors are probably running an EMR.    If you can review your lab results online, in the privacy of your home, send messages or questions to your Doctor without having to pay another copay just to be told the test came out negative,  your Doctor is probably running an EMR solution.    If you receive a bill for the amount you expect to pay, this means your Doctor has probably sent the correct E&M codes, and the insurance companies have processed payment to your Doctor faster, so you in-turn are not miss-billed. This means your Doctor is most likely using an EMR system.    If you see your Doctor taking into his or her tablet PC, this means they are capturing real-time data, without having to pay costly transcription fees, and yes, your Doctor as adopted an EMR solution.    If you see your Doctor leaving the office on-time, every day, having the time to spend with their families and friends, meeting other Doctors for drinks or going to the gym, this means their time has been freed up from paper related tasks, transcription tasks, follow-up tasks because information is passed electronically, they probably have an EMR solution.    While some of these things may seem trivial, this is the patient’s reality. EMR solutions enable medical offices and medical clinics to provide better patient care, bottom line.  Physicians make more money from higher E&M coding  coupled with the ability to do more quicker. Medical practices are able to reduce their malpractice insurance, and costly paper costs are a thing of the past.    EMR is a win/win situation for patients and physicians.    Does your physician use EMR?    Source: FPR 7-17-09 Administrator<admin@nospam.com> Wed, 15 Jul 2009 21:07:24 -0400 http://www.level8systems.com/news.php?item.16.1 http://www.level8systems.com/news.php?item.15.1 Unless you have 200 days available to look and research EMR software (400 EMR software solutions reviewing 2 a day), the EMR software selection process can seem a little daunting. Further complicating the issue is mergers and acquisitions. The last thing a physician wants is to spend money on an EMR software package, only to have it shelved by the acquiring software vendor. Step 1 – Looking beyond just today’s needs, going  5 years out, what are your critical requirements. Keeping in mind new and forthcoming regulations, stimulus incentives and practice growth. Example:  CCHIT Certification is important for Stimulus funds qualification and peace of mind. SureScripts eRX is also important even if you don’t have eprescribing ambitions today. Additionally, does the EMR software integrate with the HL7 exchange right out of the box? These are all very basic, but fundamental capabilities that most every medical practice will be confronted with, within the next 5 years. Step 2 – Considering the bigger picture now can save thousands down the road.  Many medical practices select “Best of Breed” products. Software “A” for billing, software ‘B” for scheduling, software “C” for medical records, and software “D” for eprescribing and so on.  Each separate software solution carries its own maintenance agreement, technology requirements, hardware and operating system requirements in addition to integration or interface requirements. The cost of managing multiple medical software solutions can grow substantially. While replacing the “Best of Breed” solutions with a single offering may cost more initially, in the long run, you will save thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours. Step 3 – Don’t buy the wrong software for the right price, or the right software for the wrong price. Like most things in life, price is negotiable. Making a buy decision solely on price can leave your medical practice stuck with an EMR solution to difficult to use, difficult to learn, duplicating time and effort for the sake of software. Instead, find the right EMR software solution, then negotiate a price you can live with. Step 4 – Putting off a purchase to EMR software now puts your medical practice at risk in several key areas. For starters, due to the HITECH Act of 2009 (Health Care Stimulus Incentive), thousands upon thousands of medical practices will be purchasing EMR software at an increasing rate. The backlog for implementations is growing, and could potentially put your first year’s stimulus incentive (18,000) in jeopardy.  Secondly,  with a national average of 8% under-billing per encounter, not being on an EMR software solution which helps you code higher E&M levels cost you money in lost revenue. Step 5 – Check out both sides of the grass. The old adage, “The grass is always greener on the other side” has some merit. Therefore it would be in your best interest to look at both a specialty EMR software solution as well as a general EMR software solution, adaptable to most specialties. Example, the specialty EMR software solution may have all the pieces you need for success, with a user interface that is cumbersome, difficult to use, and time consuming. It’s the UI (User Interface) you have to deal with day in and day out for a long long time. A general, adaptable EMR solution may have the templates and tailorability to provide you with what you need, with a much easier to use UI. While ease of use may sound trivial now, once the purchase and implementation has been completed, the UI carries much more significance. Step 6 – Put PrognoCIS EMR software on your shortlist. We encourage you to look at other EMR solutions first. Because we believe when you see the simple yet powerful interface of PrognoCIS EMR software, PrognoCIS EMR software’s tailorability, scalability and capability, you will feel comfortable with your decision in selecting PrognoCIS EMR for your medical practice. Mike<mwhite@nospam.com> Sun, 07 Jun 2009 19:13:44 -0400 http://www.level8systems.com/news.php?item.15.1 http://www.level8systems.com/news.php?item.14.1 In order to qualify for the highest incentives through the federal EMR / EHR software stimulus package, your practice must be able to substantiate that it is 'meaningfully using' a certified EHR system in 2011. Because of the backlog in EMR implementations even today, experts are advising that practices don’t delay purchase and implementation until 2010. Doing so might mean that you lose out on the first and largest of the payments scheduled for 2011. Under the federal stimulus package, 2015 is the deadline to implement a certified EHR system to avoid facing additional reimbursement cuts.    Knowing the rush for EMR is eminent, most companies already have a backlog of implementations waiting for qualified, experienced implementers and consultants to complete. And the lines are just going to grow. Waiting until 2010 to purchase your EMR solution could cost you dearly. Not to mention the lost ROI from higher E&M Coding levels, no transcription fees, and no paper.    Most EMR providers are hopeful in future sales, but have been reluctant to bear the cost of training and adding EMR implementers to their payroll.    At Octive Solutions, we have developed a FastPass approach to implementations enabling our customers front of the line access. This is a proven and repeatable process of collecting the right information up front, and then delivering a system that requires minimal effort on your part. Our implementations take less time, and we have the staff available to see it through quickly, thoroughly,   on-time and on-budget.    Purchasing a new EMR system is synonymous with undergoing a heart transplant. Once the new heart is in, you can’t just rip it out. You have to live with your decision for a long time. Choosing the right EMR software is paramount to your medical practice success and future stimulus funds.    No matter what EMR solutions you look at, make sure PrognoCIS EMR is on your shortlist. Additionally, only Octave Solutions has the FastPass EMR implementation, ensuring your EMR initiative is timely and on-budget.   We look forward to hearing from you. Mike<mwhite@nospam.com> Sat, 06 Jun 2009 23:43:21 -0400 http://www.level8systems.com/news.php?item.14.1 http://www.level8systems.com/news.php?item.13.1 Horizon Family Medical Group based in Orange County, New York selects PrognoCIS Electronic Medical Record software to deploy at all its locations in the county. “We considered flexibility, rich feature set and ease of use as the primary reasons for the final selection,” says John Olver, CEO of HFMG. John went on to say that “PrognoCIS multiple locations support allowed us to separate patients at each location and at the same time keep certain common functions controlled from central location. Any private practice physician, looking for EMR, should look at PrognoCIS first.” Click here for the entire story Administrator<admin@nospam.com> Fri, 29 May 2009 13:17:07 -0400 http://www.level8systems.com/news.php?item.13.1 http://www.level8systems.com/news.php?item.12.1 Physicians who have seen an electronic medical records system pay for itself within a year share how they, and their systems, made it happen. Four physicians tell how they decided -- despite well-documented evidence of everything that could go wrong -- that an EMR was right for them, and how they succeeded in getting a return of their financial investment within the first year of operation. In 2006, after five years in a shared family practice that serves mostly indigent, Medicaid and Medicare patients, Alicia V. Valdez, MD, found herself facing life as a solo physician. She was already drowning in a heavy patient load, and her outgoing partner was passing on several hundred more patients. Dr. Valdez hoped an EMR could make her day more efficient. But she also knew if her EMR experiment failed, it would mean the end of her practice. Dr. Valdez took out a small business loan, invested in a $56,000 EMR and hoped for the best. Eight months later, she broke even. A few months after that, she reduced her workweek to four days, while her monthly income continued to increase. Because the EMR allowed her to update patient records at the time of the visit, she no longer needed to schedule several hours of charting at the end of each day. The EMR also helped her document more patient encounters, which resulted in more accurate coding and higher reimbursement levels. Without an EMR, the highest Dr. Valdez was able to code was a level three. Even though she was asking family history, required for a level-four visit, she didn't have the time to document it. "If you don't document it, it didn't happen. You did not write it down because you didn't have the time, and when you serve the type of patients like I do, you have to see all of those patients in one day in order to pay your overhead and stay afloat." On Dr. Valdez's EMR, which includes a handheld device she carries into the exam room, family history can be documented by simply pointing and clicking preexisting fields in a built-in template as she talks to the patient. "When I said I needed an EMR to save my practice, that's what I meant; I can't stay here until midnight writing those notes on 40 patients. If I have 40 patients ... then that's going to take a lot of time. You can't write and see patients at the same time, but you can point and click," Dr. Valdez said. The EMR also made billing as simple as uploading the patient encounter information into the billing system, which then electronically transports it to a clearinghouse. This meant Dr. Valdez was able to bring billing back in-house, saving her $35,000 a year. She also saw additional revenue from overturning denials she previously didn't have the time or resources to appeal. One major victory was a battle she won to have more than 900 denials from one insurer overturned. Without the EMR, she said, she would have been unable to provide auditors with the information needed to make her case. Dr. Valdez estimates she lost $200,000 the previous year in denials that could have been appealed successfully. She believes the level of success a practice finds with an EMR depends on the system it chooses and the degree of commitment from everyone in the office. Before settling on a system, Dr. Valdez and her staff spent an entire day at an EMR road show where every staff member was expected to evaluate the different systems, report what they learned, and rank their top three choices. One system was listed in nearly everyone's top three. Dr. Valdez said it was important for each employee to feel he or she had a part in the decision to ensure commitment to making it work. The other key selling point, she said, was the vendor's offer to conduct pre-installation training. By the time the system went live, it felt like everyone had been using the system for months, Dr. Valdez said. "It was a very smooth transition." In addition to the successes she had hoped her EMR would bring, there were several other benefits. Dr. Valdez hadn't realized how much money she threw away in lost inventory because she wasn't able to order based on demand. Now when she's ready to order vaccines, for example, she can generate reports of how many vaccines she used the previous year and use that number to plan for the coming year. She's also able to give more vaccines and boost other preventive care by generating reports of patients who are due for tests or shots, an efficiency that also improves patient care. "That's how you provide good medical care. You call them in for mammograms; you are due for blood pressure check; we sent you to a specialist and we know if you didn't go. All these types of things we couldn't do before," Dr. Valdez said. Ralph Amedeo, MD, an internist with Advanced Health Care, a two-physician internal medicine practice, said when he decided to invest in an EMR, his goal was to improve patient care. The financial benefits were an unexpected bonus. Dr. Amedeo had grown frustrated with drug interactions. The paper-based system he had for checking possible interactions was cumbersome, and required too much time to look up information. Soon after going live with his EMR system, he found that the time he saved doing research and documentation enabled him to take on more patients. Dr. Amedeo bought a used system from a retiring physician and used his own technical knowledge to customize it. He doesn't recommend this route for others, he said, but it worked out in the end. The first year after implementation, Dr. Amedeo saw 400 more patients than he had the previous year and within nine months had earned back the $25,000 he spent on the EMR. Additional savings were realized over time, as he was able to reduce his staff from four employees to three. Small things add up, too, he said. For example, the system can generate letters to certain groups of patients with a few quick clicks. When lab results come back, the results are entered into the records, and the system generates a letter to the patient that explains the results, saving him a lot of time. The system also helps strengthen personal relationships between him and his patients. "Who was the patient who is a marble dealer? I can tell it to search the social history and find the word marble," he said. The key to success, he said, is a commitment from everyone in the practice. Dr. Amedeo said he was forced to dissolve a partnership with another physician who was not as invested in using the EMR as Dr. Amedeo would have liked. "When one partner says I am not going to use it, that's when I see systems fail," he said. Frank Chapman, chief operating officer of Asheville Gastroenterology Associates, said the practice is split between a surgery center that sees about 50 patients a day and a clinical office that sees about 130 patients a day, which meant a lot of money was going to transcription fees. The two-phase EMR deployment started on the surgery side, where savings were realized immediately. Although startup costs were about $15,000 per room, the transcription fees were eliminated on day one, Chapman said. It took about six months for a positive cash flow on the clinical side, because staff first needed to scan paper files into the electronic system. Chapman said he wanted an EMR that was customized for his specialty but not customized to the point that would require replacing the salary of a low-level transcription assistant with the higher salary of an information technology specialist. The system was specific to the gastroenterology practice and provided 90% of the customization he was looking for. EMRs can be very specialty-specific, Chapman said. "Bad choices are cause for failure," he said, adding that physicians sometimes make the mistake of looking to local practices for EMR advice, when they should be looking at practices within the same specialty. Unexpected benefits of the practice's EMR installation included ease in sending and receiving referral notes to and from other doctors, Chapman said. Before the EMR, the "fax machine was turning out faxes every minute of the day," and the cost of paper and copies added up. Now, everything is done via e-mail with attachments, leaving a nearly paper-less office. A.R. "Buddy" Garcia, MD, a family physician in solo practice said that when he lost one of his two physician assistants in 2002, he knew he needed help to keep up his workload of about 35 patients per day. He also was experiencing professional burnout and knew he had to make a change or stop practicing medicine. He thought an EMR could help reduce some of the administrative work that was bogging him down. After searching systems ranging from $3,000 to $200,000, Dr. Garcia decided on a system that set him back about $13,500 for the system plus a server and two handheld tablets. Within one month, he had a return on his investment, and his net revenue had increased by 30%, Dr. Garcia said. The biggest change in cash flow came from his ability to code more accurately. Like many physicians, he said he commonly undercoded because he was afraid of being audited. His EMR system takes into account things such as the length of the clinical notes, the diagnosis and treatment plans, and generates a suggested code for each visit, which are generally level three and sometimes as high as level five. "If you get audited, you have all the documentation needed to justify those codes," he said. Are you ready to code higher, eliminate transcription costs, see more patients in less time? Are you ready to improve your patient care, have better patient retention, lower your malpractice insurance rates? Are you ready to receive up to 64,000 dollars in Health Care IT Stimulus funds? Why not?  PrognoCIS EMR implements in days not months, and has one of the fastest ROI's in the industry. Isn't it time for change? Administrator<admin@nospam.com> Fri, 15 May 2009 12:35:19 -0400 http://www.level8systems.com/news.php?item.12.1 http://www.level8systems.com/news.php?item.11.1 HITECH Act 2009 EHR Incentives  -  Download the White Paper Now! Octave Solutions has prepared a Stimulus White Paper that explains where the stimulus incentives come from, who they are applicable to, and when they are available for both national and state incentives. Download the white paper here. Here is a summary of Stimulus Information  What is the HITECH Act?  The HITECH Act is the Health Information Technology (HIT) section, under the recently approved American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Under HITECH, the government has allocated $19.2 billion in incentives to adopt EHR technology. How much funding has been allocated for HITECH?  The recovery bill commits $19 billion in grants and incentives for companies and practices to buy health information technology in an effort to improve efficiency and quality in the health system. The funding will be allocated as follows:  $17.2 billion will be distributed in pay-for-use funding for those proving "meaningful use" of certified EHRs. $2 billion in "jump start" funds to develop the infrastructure and programs to increase HIT adoption.   Who is eligible to receive incentives?  Providers that implement and have a meaningful use of a certified EHR prior to 2015 are eligible for incentives. What is the definition of "meaningful" use of EHR technology?  Meaningful users are those that meet each of the following criteria:  Uses a certified EHR Submits most prescriptions electronically Reports clinical quality measures Had an EHR that interconnects electronically for healthcare delivery Reports billing codes indicating that patient encounters were recorded using an EHR.   *The definition of "meaningful" use is still evolving. How does a provider demonstrate "meaningful" use of EHR?  A professional must satisfy the demonstration requirement through means specified by the Secretary which may include the following:  Self attestation Submission of claims with appropriate coding Survey response Reporting   Which EHRs are eligible for funding or reimbursement? A certified EHR technology is one that meets specific standards outlined in the bill. CCHIT Certification sets some standards for EHR products and has the potential to reduce buying risk for purchasers. What are the incentives and when will you receive them?  Your practice may be eligible for the following incentives per physician:  Year 1: $15,000 ($18,000, if 1st year 2011 or 2012) Year 2: $12,000 Year 3: $8,000 Year 4: $4,000 Year 5: $2,000 Last payment year will be in 2015 Penalties for non-adoption after 2015; 1% up to 5% of professional fees   Are the incentives different for physicians practicing in rural areas?  Yes. In the case of an eligible professional who predominately practices in underserved areas (i.e. a health professional shortage area), the incentives will increase by 25%. Will penalties be enforced?  Yes. Penalties for failing to "meaningfully use" HIT will begin in 2015. Penalties for non-adoption after 2015; Increasing 1% every year up to 5% of professional fees. How will you receive payment?  The payment may be in the form of a single consolidated payment or in the form of periodic installments. Do I qualify for HITECH incentives even if I am a current ProngoCIS user?  Yes, but you must be live buy 2011 due to certification requirements. Octave Solutions is working diligently to offer a painless implementation experience designed around your schedule.  Should I wait until all HITECH details become clear before buying an EHR?  No, because well-designed implementations may take up to one year and most reputable EHR companies will have significant implementation backlogs. You should consider finalizing your EHR purchase in 2009 in order to qualify for 2011 incentives and the full 5-year incentive bonus. Can I qualify for HITECH incentives if I implement a solution in the ASC only?No, you must implement the EHR in the medical office as well. OTHER EXISTING INCENTIVES Are there any existing programs? Two CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) quality improvement programs described in the 2009 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule final rule will provide the opportunity for incentives of up to 4% of total Medicare allowed charges for participation: the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) and the Electronic Prescribing (e-prescribing) Incentive Program. What is PQRI?  PQRI, first established in 2006, offers incentives to Medicare providers who report on quality performance measures. What is e-prescribing?  The e-prescribing program offers incentives to clinicians who prescribe electronically to the pharmacy. How can physicians participate in the programs?  Participation in both programs involves the reporting of designated administrative codes on billing claims. How many reports must be submitted to take advantage of the incentives?  Physicians who report on at least 3 measures applicable to their practice between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009 will receive a bonus of up to 2% of their total Medicare allowed charges for that period. To be eligible for the bonus, measures must be reported in at least 80% of encounters where a measure applies. The incentive is awarded for reporting on applicable measures, regardless of whether or not the measure was met. What are the incentives for physicians who e-prescribe?  Clinicians who meet the requirements for being a successful e-prescriber will be eligible for an additional 2% bonus in 2009 and 2010, a 1% bonus in 2011 and 2012, and a 0.5% bonus in 2013. Clinicians who do not meet the requirements for being a successful e-prescriber will have their payments reduced by 1% in 2012, 1.5% in 2013, and 2% in 2014 and in each subsequent year.  Now is the best time to automate your practice with PrognoCIS EMR!  Octave Solutions has prepared a Stimulus White Paper that explains where the stimulus incentives come from, who they are applicable to, and when they are available for both national and state incentives. Download the white paper here. Administrator<admin@nospam.com> Wed, 13 May 2009 01:18:34 -0400 http://www.level8systems.com/news.php?item.11.1